From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Northern Burlington’s Liliah Gordon ran the 3rd-fastest 3,200 in South Jersey history Sunday at the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze.

Gordon ran 10:26.49 and placed 2nd to Middletown South senior Rosemary Shay, who won by just 5-100ths of a second in 10:26.44 a race that produced two of the six-fastest times in meet history.

The only South Jersey girls to run faster than Gordon indoors are Ocean City’s Brittany Sedberry in 2006 and Cherokee’s Megan Lacy in 2011.

Sedberry ran a then-state-record 10:19.30 for the full two miles at the 2006 Hall of Fame Classic at the Armory, which converts to 10:15.71 for 3,200 meters. Five years later at Armory Nationals on the same track, Lacy ran 10:27.13 for two miles, which converts to 10:23.49 for 3,200 meters.

Gordon’s time is not only the fastest by a South Jersey girl in 13 years, it’s the fastest ever by a South Jersey in state competition – sectionals, states or Meet of Champions. The previous record for a state-affiliated meet was Lacy’s 10:31.06 at the 2012 Meet of Champions at the Bubble.

Gordon’s time is No. 14 in state history and No. 2 on the all-time Burlington County list, behind only Lacy.

Shay and Gordon ran virtually neck and neck almost the entire race, and it was a two-runner race over the last 1,000 meters. Gordon closed in 74.21 and 35.73 but Shay closed in 72.94 and 34.40 and was inches ahead at the finish line. Nobody else was within 50 meters.

Gordon’s previous PR was 10:33.78 from the state Group 3 meet at the Bubble, when she defeated Shay.

The Villanova-bound Shay lowered her PR from 10:39.31, which she ran at the state Group 3 meet behind Gordon.

Cherokee senior Kerry O’Day and Ocean City junior Maeve Smith also both ran well under 11 minutes, O’Day in 8th in 10:51.65 and Smith just behind in 9th in 10:52.82.

All-Time New Jersey Girls Indoor 3,200 Sub-10:45 List
9:53.50y … Angelina Perez [Lakeland], 2022
10:13.17y … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007
10:14.97y … Charlotte Bednar [The Lawrenceville School], 2021
10:15.71y … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2006
10:16.20 … Cate Desousa [Red Bank Catholic], 2023
10:17.40y … Abby Loveys [Randolph], 2019
10:20.91y … Kathleen McCafferty [Oak Knoll School], 2008
10:22.00y … Julia Trethaway [West Morris Central], 2019
10:23.49y … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
10:23.56 … Cate Guiney [Middletown South], 1999
10;24.73 … Dana Giordano [Bernards], 2012
10:26.25 … Leanna Johnston [Immaculate Heart Academy], 2023
10;26.44 … Rosemary Shay [Middletown South], 2024
10:26.49 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024
10;27.25 … Mackenzie Barry [Mendham], 2022
10:27.29y … Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 2009
10:29.10y … Nicole Vanasse [Pingry School], 2018
10:29.70y … Briana Jackucewicz [Colts Neck], 2008
10:29.90y … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009]
10:31.98 … Niamh Hayes [Howell], 2017
10:31.9y,h … Anne Letko [North Hunterdon], 1985
10:32.12y … Emma McGill [Voorhees], 2021
10:32.63y … Lillian Murphy [Oak Knoll School], 2022
10:33.41 … Lindsay Hausman [Kent Place School], 2023
10:33.95y … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2016
10:34.3y,h … Cathy Feeney [Wayne Valley], 1990
10:35.16y … Colette Richter [Mountain Lakes], 2012
10:35.70 … Julia Guerra [Indian Hills], 2016
10:35.81 … Tilly O’Connor [St. Rose], 2023
10:36.60 … Monal Chokshi [Bridgetwater], 1992
10;36.13 … Emma Zawatski [Freehold Twp.], 2024
10:36.33 … Caroline Kellner [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2012
10:36.2y,h … Jodie Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 1987
10:37.24 … Patti Mielski [Ridgewood], 1983
10:37.2y,h … Meg Waldron [Bernards], 1983
10:37.70 … Dana Klein [Gill St. Bernard’s School], 2014
10:38.11 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:38.1y,h … Tracy Biber [Springfield], 1986
10:38.39 … Monica Hebner [Northern Highlands], 2018
10:38.87 … Amanda Trotter [Red Bank], 2003
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:39.04 … Camryn Wennersten [Ridgewood], 2021
10:39.71 … Angelina Rugino [Toms River North], 2009
10:39.74y … Josette Norris [Tenafly], 2013
10:39.88 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023

All-Time S.J. Girls Indoor 3,200 Sub-11 List
10:15.71 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2006
10:23.49y … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
10:26.49 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024
10:29.90y … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:33.95y … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2016
10:38.11 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:39.88 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023
10:40.03 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:40.80 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2017
10:42.06 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:42.22 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:43.2y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:45.20 … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015
10:45.40y … Julianna Catania [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2016
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:48.28 … Abigail Waddington [Clearview], 2023
10:48.78 … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014
10:49.12 … Madison Coppolino [Sterling], 2017 [3]
10:49.46 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2016
10;51.65 … Kerry O’Day [Cherokee], 2024
10:52.05 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007
10:52.53 … Allie Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2020
10:52.82 … Maeve Smith [Ocean City], 2024
10:53.4h … Christin Bettis [Hammonton], 2012
10:53.89y … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2020
10:54.31 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023
10:55.10 … Abigail Waddington [Clearview], 2023
10:55.29y … Ann Klocke [Bishop Eustace], 1996
10:55.58 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
10:57.53 … Michaela Schlemo [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2023
10:57.68y … Ava Thomas [Haddonfield], 2024
10:57.95 … Katy Storti [Bishop Eustace], 2019
10:59.02 … Catherine Van Horn [Triton], 2005
10:59.04 … Maria Ruiz [Williamstown], 2009
10:59.13 … Vickie Ajimoko [Williamstown], 2013
10:59.26 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
10:59.90 … Aubrey Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2022

All-Time Meet of Champions 3,200 list
10:00.90 … Angelina Perez [Lakeland], 2022 [1]
10:16.20 … Cate DeSousa [Red Bank Catholic], 2023 [1]
10:24.73 … Dana Giordano [Bernards], 2012 [1]
10:26.25 … Leanna Johnston [Immaculate Heart], 2023 [2]
10:26.44 … Rosemary Shay [Middletown South], 2024 [1]
10:26.49 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024 [2]
10:26.53 … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007 [1]
10:27.25 … Mackenzie Barry [Mendham], 2012 [2]
10:31.06 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012 [3]
10.31.98 … Niamh Hayes [Howell], 2017 [1]
10:32.55 … Julia Threthaway [West Morris], 2019 [1]
10:34.49 … Nicole Vanasse [Pingry School], 2018 [1]
10:35.70 … Julia Guerra [Indian Hills], 2016 [1]
10:35.81 … Tilly O’Connor [St. Rose], 2023 [3]
10:36.13 … Emma Zawatski [Freehold Twp.], 2024 [3]
10:36.48 …….. Perez, 2020 [1]
10:36.74 …….. Higginson, 2006 [1]
10:36.7h … Meg Waldron [Bernards], 1983 [1]
10:37.70 … Dana Klein [Gill St. Bernard], 2014 [1]
10:37.92 … Linsdsay Hausman [Kent Place], 2023 [4]
10:38.20 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2023 [5]
10:38.31 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011 [1]
10:38.39 … Monica Hebner [Northern Highlands], 2018 [2]
10:38.54 …….. Barry, 2013 [1]
10:38.87 … Amanda Trotter [Red Bank], 2003 [1]
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001 [1]
10:39.39 … Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 2009 [1]
10:39.71 … Angela Rugino [Toms River North], 2009 [2]
10:39.6h … Anne Marie Letko [North Hunterdon], 1986 [1]
10:39.88 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023 [6]
10:39.93 …….. Vanasse, 2019 [2]

All-Time Burlington County 3,200 List
10:23.49 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
10:26.49 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10;51.65 … Kerry O’Day [Cherokee], 2024
10:55.58 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
11:00.7y … Deanna Germano (Shawnee), 1986
11:06.32y … Colleen Sunderland (Northern Burlington), 1995
11:08.85 … Nina Bendixen, [Shawnee], 2015
11:09.91 … Liliah Gordon [Northrn Burlington], 2022
11:10.88 … Caitlin Orr [Lenape], 2009